Variability in the Diagnostic Criteria for Severe Pertussis

How variable are the definitions of severe pertussis across studies involving infants? In this systematic review that included 78 studies, severe pertussis was described using 5 different terms and defined using 22 distinct severity criteria based on clinical signs, laboratory results, and outcomes. The terms and exhibited the most heterogeneous definitions, and no set of criteria was used consistently across studies. The lack of a standardized definition of severe pertussis limits comparability across studies and complicates clinical and public health decisions; these findings suggest there is an urgent need to develop an international consensus definition.

Corresponding Author: Julie Toubiana, MD, PhD, Professor, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Biodiversity and Epidemiology of Bacterial Pathogens Unit, 25-28 rue du Dr Roux, F-75724, Paris, France (julie.toubiana@pasteur.fr).

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